User blog:El Alamein/Count Roland vs. Harold Godwinson
It's a battle between two early medieval warriors who became legendary for their tragically heroic last stands! Count Roland, the Frankish military leader who, at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass, fought against desperately overwhelming odds and gave his life as a model example of a chivalrous and honorable warrior, crosses swords with King Harold Godwinson, the last Saxon leader of England, who was hard-pressed to defend his land against Viking and Norman invaders and ultimately fell at the Battle of Hastings, changing the nation's history forever! It will be a duel between two highly-trained and extremely dedicated warriors, but when the last arrow has found its mark and the dying echoes of the oliphant fade into silence, only one will be the deadliest warrior! Count Roland Possibly the nephew of the Frankish King Charlemagne, Count Roland would soon earn his own legacy for his last stand against Basque and Saracen forces at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass. The first of Charlemagne's Paladins, Roland had already established himself as a powerful and chivalrous warrior as lord of the Breton Marches. At the Battle of Roncevaux Pass, Roland's forces were ambushed and attacked, outnumbered almost 20 to 1. Although encouraged by some to signal the Frankish main force, Roland's force held their ground against several waves of Saracen soldiers. As the last wave of Saracens struck the now weakened army, Roland finally signaled Charlemagne - moreso that his men could be treated to a good Christian burial then left dishonored. Leading his remaining men in one final battle, Roland avenged his fallen paladin allies and personally killed the Saracen king's son in battle. As Roland was faced with death, he attempted to destroy his sword Durandal before hiding it underneath his body and propping himself southward, towards the enemy. The ultimate model of chivalry and valor, Roland then died on the field of battle. Weapons |-| Close Range= Durendal *About 3.5 feet in length *Double-edged *Straight metal crossbar *Alleged to have divine properties |-| Mid Range= Angon *Barbed iron head *7-foot wooden shaft *Thrown; effective range 12-15 m *Based on pilum; shaft bends on impact |-| Long Range= Francisca *6-inch iron axe head *18-inch shaft *Thrown; effective range 12-15 m *1.3 lbs. |-| Armor= Hauberk *Mail shirt *Includes sleeves, reaches mid-thigh length *Worn with leather gloves Harold Godwinson Harold Godwinson became a respected and powerful noble within the kingdom. Godwinson was known for his skillful ability to lead men in battle and govern land well, shown when he was appointed as earl of East Anglia in 1044. Godwinson later proved his ability as a commander against the Welsh, orchestrating a brilliant campaign alongside his brother Tostig. This excellent ability to subdue the Welsh armies solidified his reputation as a commander, and made Edward the Confessor appoint him as an emissary to his trusted ally William the Conqueror. Harold would be later forced to fight for his throne when the Viking king Harald Hardrada joined in an alliance with Harold's exiled brother Tostig, as well as the upset Norman king William. Harold once again proved his abilities as a commander, effortlessly defeating Hardrada at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. However, Harold's luck had finally run out; William's ships had arrived on the south of England, and Harold was forced to rush impatiently to face him at Hastings. Harold's forces, while initially succeeding against the Normans, were defeated as William manipulated them by feigning retreats. Harold was then killed in battle, when a Norman's arrow pierced his eye and killed him. Weapons |-| Close Range= Longsword *About 3.5 feet in length *Double-edged *Curved crossbar *Primarily used for slashing/hacking rather than thrusting/stabbing |-| Mid Range= Dane Axe *8-inch iron axe head *5-foot wooden shaft *2-4 lbs. *Two-handed |-| Long Range= Hunting Bow *Bodkin arrows *Based on longbow *Effective range about 120 meters |-| Armor= Byrnie *Mail shirt *Reaches waist length *Worn with leather jacket X-Factors |-| Training= Count Roland: 79 Harold Godwinson: 73 Count Roland achieved prominence as one of Charlemagne's military leaders, as governor of the border region of the Breton March. Because of the proximity of his post to hostile territory, drilling was paramount to success, to ensure that his troops were in peak combat condition. Harold Godwinson was certainly well-trained, but as king of England, also had to devote substantial time to domestic and other non-military affairs. |-| Combat Experience= Count Roland: 69 Harold Godwinson: 81 The extent of Roland's military experience is unknown, but regardless of any minor skirmishes he may have conducted across the border of his province, the Battle of Roncevaux Pass is the only known major engagement in which he participated. Harold Godwinson, on the other hand, conducted several military campaigns prior to becoming king, and fought against two concurrent invasions by the Vikings and the Normans. |-| Discipline= Count Roland: 83 Harold Godwinson: 70 Roland and his men were supremely disciplined, maintaining formation and regrouping constantly during the Battle of Roncevaux Pass despite being heavily outnumbered and on the verge of defeat. Even as he was about to be struck down in battle, Roland signaled on his oliphant horn to Charlemagne to request reinforcements. Godwinson and his troops, however, were consistently baited into breaking rank and pursuing the Normans as they conducted feigned retreats at the Battle of Hastings. This ultimately led to his demise. |-| Tactics= Count Roland: 45 Harold Godwinson: 54 Both warriors suffer considerably here. Roland and his men marched right into an ambush by Basque warriors in the Pyrenees, and were forced into the compromising position that led to their last stand. Godwinson and his men were also outwitted by the Normans at the Battle of Hastings. Godwinson gets a marginally higher score for two reasons, however: firstly, the Battle of Hastings almost resulted in Saxon victory several times, and secondly, Godwinson had other successful military experiences that somewhat bolster his faltering score here. Battle "What shall I tell them, sire?" Count Roland looked down from his horse, the noble Veillantif, onto the messenger standing anxiously below. The runner's face was pale and drawn tight--sweat trickled plainly down his face. Though Roland sympathized with the man's fears, he himself remained composed and resolute. His eyes flickered up, up past the treetops that dared span over the road and swallow up the sunlight. "When the time comes, you will know precisely what to say." Nodding to his messenger, Roland watched as he bolted off, back for friendly lines, back for safety... back for his life. Urging his steed onward, the count noted that even his mount seemed uneasy. A looming pall of uncertainty had plagued his endeavor thus far, but riding alone, Roland knew that he must honor the arrangements he had made previously. Letting his hand drop to rest on the hilt of Durendal, the sword imbued with the righteous strength of the saints looking down from Heaven above, he relaxed. The dirt road was crudely made but well-maintained. It led out into a clearing, where sunlight streamed down in bright, proud shafts. Roland squinted, shielding his eyes as he adjusted to the light. His horse's speed dwindled to a stop. Dismounting, Roland froze when he heard the sound of rustling behind him. There was a slight quivering as Roland turned--followed by a sharp twang. Rolling to the side, he evaded the arrow fired his way and looked up at an imposing mustachioed figure blocking his path, clad in armor and holding a bow. A smile played across the face of King Harold Godwinson as he cast the hunting bow aside and beckoned to a figure who emerged into the clearing, holding a massive two-handed axe. The soldier gave the king the weapon and just as quickly retreated. Roland turned and sprinted back to his horse as Godwinson watched, advancing slowly. Grabbing his Francisca axe, Roland turned and hurled the weapon wildly, interrupting the Saxon's advance and forcing him to jump sharply to the side to avoid the attack. Just as quickly, Roland had retrieved his Angon spear, holding it out defiantly with two hands. Harold broke into a charge, gaining momentum as he raised his Dane axe overhead. Roland slid under the swing and turned with a grunt, jabbing the spear-tip at Harold. It nicked off his mail armor, but the tip got stuck and bent. Breathing heavily, Harold stood up, encumbered by the useless weapon now protruding from his backside. Shaking himself in an effort to dislodge the Angon, he quickly ran backwards, turning sharply, swinging the shaft of the spear against a tree. The wooden shaft splintered with the force of the blow, but Roland was now on top of Harold with his longsword, swinging forcefully with an attack Harold only just managed to avoid by raising his axe's handle in front of his face. The blade got stuck halfway through the wood--Roland struggled to pull it out right as Harold, holding the weapon by the shaft, pushed forward forcefully and slammed the shaft into Roland's face. Durendal fell to the grass, but there was a crack as the blow shattered the Frank's nose. Blood streamed freely as Roland grunted in pain, reaching a hand up to the injury and gingerly touching it, before holding it out in front of him to see the extent of the bleeding. Picking up Durendal, Roland turned as Harold unsheathed his own longsword. The Saxon king laughed as Roland spit blood in his direction, before the two charged. Harold's forward thrust hit Roland's mail and failed to pierce the armor, while Roland's sideways swing winded the king through his byrnie. Stumbling backwards, Harold reached a hand out as he fell to the ground. Roland held his sword out and knelt, keeping it pointed at Godwinson's throat. Before the Frankish count could react, though, Harold had reached out, picking up a rock that lay nearby, and swung it up at Roland's helmet. With a clang, it was now Roland who was at the mercy of Harold, his ears ringing and his vision spinning. By the time he had recovered, it was all but too late for Roland. Disarmed and with Godwinson blocking the path to any of his weapons, Roland had but one course of action left. His faithful steed had remained, standing calmly while the duel had raged, and Roland had enough strength to make it back to Veillantif and search his satchel. Finding what he needed, Roland ran his hand down his horse's mane. "Vigilant until the end," whispered Roland, and he turned and faced Harold Godwinson, the king of England, face-to-face, raising his oliphant to his lips in a last act of defiance as the Saxon warrior swung his sword full-force. *** The melancholy sound of the oliphant danced across the treetops, sending birds flying and overpowering the desperate, ragged breathing of the sweat-drenched messenger, as he burst, wild-eyed and frenzied, into the tent of his commander. The captain inside looked up, concerned, as the runner took one enormous gulp of breath before crying out. "Captain! The count! He is dead!" Expert's Opinion Harold Godwinson's superior battlefield experience, weapons, and tactics enabled him to prevail over Roland. The bow vastly overpowered the throwing axe at a long range, but also (and perhaps most importantly), Harold's defeat at Hastings, while just as catastrophic a loss as Roland's defeat at Roncevaux Pass, was a much closer call and not as much a strategic blunder. Roland fought valiantly, but in the end, Harold Godwinson hit harder and hit smarter, giving him the victory. Category:Blog posts